The truth about a complex built for veterans and the middle class and how it has evolved through the years to become one of the more interesting and controversial of New York stories.

Comment Policy

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Management has two priorities: 1) Making sure money is made, hence upgrading and filling up apartments is their goal. "Amenities" are important in selling the place, though few residents use them. 2) If someone needs medical attention, Public Safety will be there, if alerted.

Quality of life issues are not that important, however. Things like the carpet rule or outsider dogs. These "rules" tend to be ignored, on purpose it seems. So you will see a lot that isn't taken care of properly, and complaints will be met with a creative excuse and a smile.

"Peace and quiet" must be a cruel joke, though this property is sold that way. There can be no peace and quiet as ALL apartments must be upgraded, which includes the installation of an AC unit below the window. Aside from the continual construction about the neighborhood, there is a new and noisy subway extension being built along East 14 st and the shut down of the L line. "Choosing" to live in NYC, now the newest mantra, is a fabrication when the talk is of ST and PCV, which was traditionally quiet, with no construction noise.

Though money was always important, it is now more important than ever. Money rules many things, as you will find.

At this point, 30 years into living here and seeing many things, I can state that Management and their reps are BS-ing us. I can't say that loudly enough: We are being BS-ed. I don't see any genuine change, though the "selling" of this place is intense. Few of the "rules" will be enforced, as Management doesn't want to lose customers or potential customers. Where personal integrity is a hallmark of an excellent management style, this integrity is not seen in enforcing some of the rules.

About those "club cars" we see going this way and that way, and outside of Stuy Town or Peter Cooper Village:

Monday, May 8, 2017

Asser Levy is Open Too -- and has a Swimming Pool!

Having trouble getting motivated or want to increase your
activity level for the summer? Asser Levy’s onsite gym and swimming pool has
personal trainers to help you reach your goal. Nicknamed “the Prison Gym,” your
personal trainer could be black or Puerto Rican, but that’s just to get you
motivated the Asser Levy way. If you don’t lift those 100-pound barbells, you get
laughed at and called a pussy. So stop by Asser Levy and talk some shit to the
guys in charge and you are in! Rates are real cheap, too, not like those for the
girlie men and little drama queens across the way in Stuy Town.

Also join us at McDonald’s, at 23 Street near 1st Avenue,
this coming Friday. We are partnering
with Belch and Feel Good, and will have live singing from the homeless who come
here daily to take up space and perfume the air. There will be a live, as
opposed to dead, demonstration of how to find an empty toilet when you need to
take an hour or two. Make a Big Mac part of your weekend routine.

37 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I am a member, and I have been for a very long time - mainly for proximity and price (I also belong to Crunch), and what you say is completely true. Most of the guys there do not hide that they were in prison, but they are all very friendly. With that being said, if I use it it's always after 8pm (the only quiet time).

I have been a member for some time now. Some helpful hints. Bring a “real” lock. A Master key lock, leave the combo locks home. Bring and wear bummy clothes. This is not Crunch, no need to impress anyone. Never leave any valuables in the locker. The fanny pack is your friend. This advice goes for any “high end“ gym as well. Take your shower at home. BTW, when you turn 62, the annual rate is $25 per year. Such a deal.

Adam Rose shared a link. April 30 at 2:09am The lack of carpeting in apartments is an epic failure on the part of misManagement and demonstrates their contempt for tenants' rights to the quiet enjoyment of their homes. Rick Hayduk, when are YOU going to FIX this problem?

What would happen if all New York City Tenants formed a union. Like the Hotel Union, the Construction and Builder Union, Teachers Union, and so on. The Tenants Union would have serious clout, to stop all the bullying from the real estate developers and hotel condo takeover of our homes. There must be over a million NYC tenants. Otherwise we have no voice, no standing, no clout. It would also negate any need for these so-called tenant associations.

Forming a tenants union sounds like a great idea. I'm sick of having no real way to fight the Management here who clearly doesn't give a rat's ass about apartment floors being adequately covered with rugs.. And I agree with Adam Rose that Rick Hayduk is responsible for this problem. They got rid of that witch Donalda Habersham who was in charge of rug inspections, but the problem has not gotten any better. A lot of smoke and mirrors going on here, but they're not fooling anyone about what's really going on.

@5:32 PM, I wish we could form such a union. I really, absolutely would be in favor of that. I am sick of having my life at the mercy of these bloodsucking, soulless, godless vile bastards. I don't live in PCVST or even Manhattan because I think it's "trendy." Au Contraire, I think it is a shithole (at this point), but it is home. It is the only home I have ever known and when I was born here it was anything but a trendy place. I am not moving out because the bloodsucking "landlord" wants to turn it into a "luxury" deal because of the RE facists like TS, De B, Garodnick, et. They can drop dead and burn in hell. Nobody should be strong-armed out of their home by a cadre of bloodsucking greedmongers.

whoever adam rose is, I read the TA page and this lack of carpeting is clearly a widespread concern--it is obviously something the majority of tenants want addressed. it is criminal that the Ta does nothing about this.(I write this to the usual late-night accompaniment of scraping and banging in the uncarpeted flex apartment above me. It is nearly 11pm and these idiots are doing their regular nightly furniture rearrangement.)

One downside of A.L. is that during these “in between” months of May and early June, the A/C is not turned on until they get a directive from the Mayor’s office. But for a real New Yorker like me, no big deal. BTW, these are the current rates:

Adults 25 through 61-Access to All Centers-Annual Membership Fee: $150-Six-month membership available for $75Seniors 62 and up-Access to All Centers-Annual Membership Fee: $25.

Bloomturd is the one who raised the fees back in 2010 I believe, annual from $75 to $150, senior from $10 to $25, etc. DB say what?

“Asser Levy? Only old single losers go there.”

Besides being false, this post is beyond despicable. Smacks of entitlement. Or in other words, the current demographic that Blackstone markets this dorm dump to. Why don’t you join a "high end” gym like David Barton?....................Oh wait, never mind.

Point of historical info about the Asser Levy Pool:A couple of summers ago, I observed a couple of brown, perfectly formed elliptical "fish" floating by at the Asser Levy Pool..in a circular yellow band of water.I asked a worker, "What's this??"He replied, Oh,that's a type of fish usually found only here and other public pools. We call it the Speckled Brown Turd".Gives a lot a class to the place!Jus' sayin'...

You can't trust Yelp anymore either. There are companies out there that you pay them some money and they post glowing reviews for you. I can all but guarantee they are using this service, and they will make sure a bad review is met with 3 good ones.

BLACKSTONE is the reason the carpeting problem is not getting addressed here. They won't actually let Hayduk spend the $$$ and manpower necessary for apartment inspections because that would affect their bottom line. WHEN IN DOUBT, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

STR, Do not accuse others of being wrong simply because they disagree with you. In all due respect, I wouldn't go there if you paid me. I remember years ago what that placed looked like and I wouldn't step a foot in there. Has it changed, and is it clean? Maybe you are wrong.

Point of historical info about the Asser Levy Pool: A couple of summers ago, I observed a couple of brown, perfectly formed elliptical "fish" floating by at the Asser Levy Pool..in a circular yellow band of water. I asked a worker, "What's this??" He replied, Oh,that's a type of fish usually found only here and other public pools. We call it the Speckled Brown Turd". Gives a lot a class to the place!<<

>>Marynia Kruk, community affairs manager at StuyTown Property Services, told us, “Wildlife is a part of the charm of our community and at Stuy Town, that wildlife includes bats. That bat that Ms. Kuklinski found and called Public Safety about was removed by one of our officers. We found a Good Samaritan who is nursing it back to health and hopes to release it into a park next week. In the future, when residents come across injured animals, they can call either 311 or Public Safety.”<<

Kinda funny that the people so concerned about this bat are probably not vegetarians. Maybe I shouldn't make this assumption, but I think all of them are meat eaters. In other words, they are willing to have a living creature killed, just as long as they don't have to watch or be aware of the killing.

Also what is this nonsense about Asser Levy? Sounds like some people are put-off by the wrong color skin and a different class. I know that one of the hush-hush selling points of STPCV is the "right" color of the skin around here. Asians are very welcome because they are thought of as kinda wealthy and subservient. In other words, they don't cause trouble. Fess up. At least don't be hypocritical.

And, yes, the place for a long time was considered and written about as "the projects." Check your history, if you don't believe me.

If it's not part of the TA. Dues are a problem, too. Any new organization here will face a very uphill battle. Not that it can't be done. But be aware that you may have to count on very, very few people and almost no money.

Having StuyTown or any individual resident community form a union is ludicrous. An established organization with a following and standing in the political arena is better suited to form a union. The MetCouncil on housing can form the union or an organization like that could get one started. Doubtful and laughable that the commentator is saying the union should be formed in StuyTown when the populoation is less than half of what is used to be before the dreadfully disastrous rerouting of the tenant association pursuing condo board transformation.

10 08 that is horseshit as they're spending $$$$$ every time we call and have to have some putz from PS come to check it, visit us, visit the offensive upstairs clown.

Sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with you. With 11,000+ apartmenst here, it's much cheaper and easier to have PS show up and look like they're doing something than to actually inspect each and every apartment and follow-up to see that it has adequate carpeting.

It is deliberate and Blackstone and Rick should just say it. WE would have more respect if they or he just said, noise sucks, we know, we have a problem with the structure of the building and we weill do nothing about it. Live with it or move. We won't be asking tenants to get rugs not not now or ever and dont call to complain we will just tell you the tenant has a rug.

Blackstone's and Rick's modus operandi is deception and false concern. They have attempted to appear benevolent from the beginning, voicing their concern for tenants, putting out surveys, and providing Rick as an accessible sounding board. It is all a facade. I would rather that they showed their true colors which involve greed and indifference. Tishman/Speyer and Capital Compass Rock were evil, but you knew what you were getting. Blackstone has destroyed the QOL here while smiling with their folksy charm.

Until There Is Silence No More

The Tenants Association and our councilman Dan Garodnick have mysteriously remained silent about a purported incident that occurred on July 12: the mugging by a group of individuals of someone right by Peter Cooper Village, along 20th Street.

The TA is basically done. Tenants can complain, but any action is negligible. The TA is effectively dead.

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"We'll be introducing a new process to identify registered dogs thus enabling Public Safety Officers to clearly approach offending dog owners. The registration will hang from the leash handle; clearly identifying the dog as registered.

"If the dog is not registered by May 1; a summons will be issued at the point of contact. If we learn the dog owner is not a resident, they will be escorted off the property."

Rick Hayduk, CEO and General Manager of PCVST. Letter to Barry Shapiro, February 2016.

STR here: I have been around since the inception of this dog policy and I have NEVER seen anyone escorted out of ST or PCV with their non-lanyard dog. But I have seen, many times, a dog owner from outside, and his/her dog, casually walking through ST or PCV.

THINKING of Renting in PCVST?

Read Yelp reviews to find out what it's like living here. Please note: All apartments are currently "rent-stabilized" but that doesn't prevent apartments from going up to 4K to 6K a month and even higher. How does this happen? Ask our politicians! Fact: Now less than half of the complex's apartments have the old rents and it's getting worse year by year--or better if you are the Real Estate Board of New York!

The Other Yelp Reviews

Yelp can be tricky and bounce reviews for a variety of reasons, like being a member and posting just one review. Very often, however, these reviews hold important truths about what's being reviewed. READ THESE TOO.

BICYCLES, MOPEDS, SCOOTERS, ETC.

Of course, "private property" but "public access" - whatever that means! And if a part of it is public access, do the rules of the city apply to our roads and sidewalks? Or does anything give because this complex is "private property"? Who comes here in case of a fire in one of our buildings? The Stuy Town Fire Brigade?

Hint: Look both ways if you are in the complex. Look on the ground, too!

61.03 Control of dogs and other animals to prevent nuisance. (a) A person who owns, possesses or controls a dog, cat or other animal shall not permit the animal to commit a nuisance on a sidewalk of any public place, on a floor, wall, stairway, sidewalk, lawn, garden or roof of any public or private premises used in common by the public, or on a fence, wall [or], stairway or entranceway of a building abutting on a public place

Banned & Oversize Dog Breeds in Stuy Town

Looks like there is some difficulty in enforcing the ban on certain dog breeds allowed inside Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village. Somehow pitbulls and pitbull mixes have been registered in STPCV and are allowed to be freely walked about the grounds! Registered dogs in the complex are max 50 pounds. Total, if there is more than one! More than two, it's illegal. It's going to get worse, and, face it, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village will never be like it once was.

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Read it and Weep

Current Value of ST/PCV

Was 5.4 Billion Dollars when Tishman Speyer bought the place.Became 1.7 Billion Dollars when Tishman Speyer left, with their tail between their legs. Of course, tenants now have to make up the loss.

Ex-landlord

Rob Speyer

1947 Stuy Town Plaque Honoring Met Life Chairman F.H. Ecker (Removed in 2002 and never seen again)

"... who with the vision of experience and the energy of youth conceived and brought into being this project, and others like it, that families of moderate means might live in health, comfort and dignity in park-like communities and that a pattern might be set of private enterprise productively devoted to public service."

I am writing on behalf of everyone at Tishman Speyer to express how honored we are to become part of your outstanding community. We are a business with deep roots in New York, a true love of our city and a great respect for the neighborhoods that make it special. We are committed to maintaining the unique character and environment that have made Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town such a wonderful place to live for so long. We look forward to providing you an extraordinary level of service and attentiveness that will be the source of pride and satisfaction for the entire community.

Neighborhood Recommendations

New to Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village? Here are some basic recommendations.

Best supermarket: Associated on 14th St. between 1st Ave. and Ave A. The cheapest prices, fantastic weekly sales, very affordable lunches; solid, responsive management, but earthy. Some of the young female cashiers have attitude to spare, though. May be too far for Peter Cooper residents.

Best gym: Don't waste your money on the Oval Fitness Gym. Instead go to the earthy but real Asser Levy Recreational Center, right above 23rd St on Asser Levy Place (near the FDR Drive). $75 for a year's membership; seniors are almost free. Contains seasonal indoor and outdoor swimming pools, ping-pong table, two pool tables. Called by some rich people who wouldn't get caught going there "the prison gym," and you know why.

A Stuy Town favorite is Lenz's on 20 St. between the 20 St. Loop. The way New York used to be. Be careful of unwanted "pepper" in your food, however. Lenz's got a B grade rating and was temporarily closed down due to an order from the Health Department. Bruno's on First Avenue is more upscale, with a greater selection of food items (higher-priced, too), but was closed down temporarily by the Health Department. Stuy Town's own cafe was closed, too! And not because of all the dogs that hover and piss outside.

Gracefully has two locations, but we prefer for its size the one on 1st Ave. Prices are high and reflect the new tenants that are currently renting Stuy Town and Peter Cooper apartments. ("Do you have a credit card?") We like Gracefully's lunch specials, which are somewhat affordable.

I priced the CVS on 1st Ave near 14st. The non-aerosol hairspray was 20 cents above CVS' own website price, and one of the highest in NY. (Yes, I have hair.) You can save at least a dollar or more buying at another place. So beware. Look around for a better deal on all your items.

I love warm Quaker Oats in the morning. Gristedes is not the place to get it, nor is Associated, though their price is less. Look around!

Macular Degeneration Support Group

If you are currently diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary is offering a support group for you. Conveniently located next to the Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town apartment complex, our group offers the opportunity to share stories with other members, listen to expert guest speakers, and learn coping strategies to reduce stress. Our group runs on the first Wednesday of every month and we would enjoy seeing you there.
Please contact Baptiste Nicolas, Social Work Assistant at 212-979-4105 for further information and to see if this group is right for you!